


The Battle Within

by auraya



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Angst, Bipolar Disorder, Gen, Hospital, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, POV Alternating, POV Second Person, Suicide Attempt, no actual mental health knowledge on author's part, read with a grain of salt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-18
Updated: 2014-02-24
Packaged: 2018-01-12 23:45:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1204942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auraya/pseuds/auraya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reid begins a battle with his mind...depicts his struggle and JJ's unwavering support for him as well as the team's. Warning: suicide attempt. JJ/Reid friendship.</p><p>Originally posted at ff.net on 5/17/09.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is just an idea that would not leave me. This is the first time I have written using this style, switching from 2nd to 3rd POV. Hope it's not too confusing. Let me know what you think. Unbetaed so sorry for mistakes.
> 
> This story is dedicated to my cousin-Ian, may your bipolar disorder be finally balanced by the correct medication.
> 
> Based off a true story.

One of your few close friends dies in a car crash. You met him at college, the first college you went to. He was also younger than most students so you two hit off right from the beginning. His death hits you hard, harder than you thought it could have.

You continue going to work, arranging your facial features into a mask to hide your sadness. You conceal your emotions from the team, you know how to deceive them, how to beat them at the profiling game but it requires concentration. You do not want to deal with their pity so you do what it takes to keep the knowledge hidden.

You make it through that day and the weeks that follow. You begin to notice that you are struggling in your work. You can't focus and your emotions are all over the place. You attribute this to your friend's death until one day you hear something that shocks you to your core.

You realize that voice in your head that has been getting louder isn't your inner voice talking to you. You realize that this along with your unbalanced emotions is not a good sign. You know that the mood swings and voices will only get worse. You've read the books and seen it happen. You've been waiting for this to strike since you found out from your mother during a moment of lucidity from her ever deteriorating mind that your father's sister was bipolar. You knew that with both bipolar and schizophrenia genes in your DNA you had not a chance of escaping mental destruction.

You call Hotch and tell him you need some time off. You make up some lie about the stress getting to you and he believes it. You knew he would, why would he doubt the trustworthy, young Reid? You tell him it may be a while. He tells you take all the time you need.

JJ calls the team together in the conference room, carrying a stack of files in her arms for presenting another case. Everyone slips into their usual chairs, Reid's left oddly empty.

JJ begins with an announcement, "I was unable to contact Reid."

"He's taking some time off." Hotch replies causally and indicates that JJ should continue.

JJ moves on with a worried look at Hotch. She could see the team's concentration waver as they shoot anxious glances at each other and the team leader. After they board the plane, the less senior members, Morgan, Prentiss, and JJ congregate together and brainstorm but despite their acute profiling skills no one has any idea about Reid's disappearance.

Rossi leans over to Hotch and remarks, "The rumor mill begins," with a wry grin.

"I would try and give them more information but I'm as surprised as they are. I thought Reid had been coping fine lately. He has been a little moody and tired however I thought it was a side effect of the job." Hotch replies his inner being concerned for Reid.

"We'll just have to wait for him to come back to us."

After six months, the team is still one man down. JJ walks by Hotch's office, seeing him hang up the phone and sink his head into his hands. The call widens a small chink in Hotch's outer armor.

"Still no word?" JJ inquires softly, sticking her blond head through the open doorway.

Hotch sighs and shakes his head no, "I keep receiving his answering machine. I'm sure he's fine. He told me he may need plenty of time off," he mutters more to himself

than to JJ.

JJ leaves walking down the hall to her office, her unease about Reid's vanishing act increasing.


	2. Crack

You spend those six months seeing different people, trying alternative methods before resigning yourself to drugs. Mediation with a Buddhist priest works for a while but then the voices worsen. You see psychiatrist after psychiatrist trying out different meds. One makes you gain weight while barely eating anything and another never takes effect.

You finally stick to one even though it makes you listless and slow because this drug actually works. You travel to Maine to visit a friend, needing to get away from your life. Being around nature is wonderful while it lasts but all too soon you are back in Virginia. Sometimes you can't help but lose your temper, angry at this disorder that has you trapped inside mind. You wonder what the neighbors think on those days as crashes emit from your house as you shatter dishes in an attempt to release some of this pent up rage.

The effects of your trip wear off quickly and the voices in your head start up again despite the drugs. Your most recent psychiatrist fails to find the right meds just like all the others. You call his office to schedule an appointment in the earliest opening, tomorrow afternoon. You hope to yourself that the voices don't get too bad, that you can still manage them.

JJ decides that she can no longer wait to see Reid again. She has already driven past his house several times, knocking without a response from inside. It is time for her last resort. She grabs a bribe off her desk and heads to the tech goddess' office.  
"Hey Garcia, I brought you a snack!" JJ announces, holding a piece of chocolate cake triumphantly.

"With a gift like that Jayje, you are welcome anytime." Garcia replies happily taking the plate and grabbing two forks from her desk drawer.

She hands one to JJ and digs in asking, "What can I help you with today or are we here to gossip?"

"It's about Reid." she tells her solemnly and a somber mood settles in the room.

"My hands are tied. Hotch gave me an explicit order not to dig into his files saying that he would find out. We would be betraying Reid's trust in us."

"Penelope, listen to me," JJ pleaded, "I have a really bad feeling that something's wrong." She explains everything she had done to try and track Reid down. "I can't find anything, it's like he disappeared."

She can see Garcia weakening, adding a final push she says, "I know you can do it especially without anyone finding out. You have hacker skills."

Her eyes beg Garcia, JJ is truly desperate.

Garcia gives in, slowly nodding. She would have started searching for him awhile ago if her own personal moral code had not stopped her. Her fingers fly over the keyboard, opening several windows to prevent cross hacking and to hide her search.

"No one will find out, right?" Garcia asks slightly nervous. She could lose her job.

"This stays between us." JJ confirms.

"Good because since he's on leave, the government has no right to look into his private business. We are doing this as friends because we are concer–" Garcia abruptly stops her jaw hanging slackly.

"What," JJ peers over Garcia's shoulder, "did you find?!"

Garcia begins to shake quietly as she tries to hold her tears in, "It happened…he's been diagnosed with bipolar disorder."

JJ looks shocked. Nothing she imagined even came close to this.

Garcia continues quietly after checking that her door was firmly shut, "He has visited over ten psychiatrists. It looks like he just back from a trip to Maine. Should we tell Hotch?"

JJ ponders for a moment, "No, if he knew Reid could never get his job back. Though with bipolar, it's entirely possible that he won't be able to work for the BAU. We can't keep this a secret forever."

"What is Reid going to do?" Garcia moans, her heart aching for the man's plight.

"If the doctors finally find the right course of treatment it's possible that Reid could work as an unarmed consultant." JJ says hopefully.

She does not want to lose one member of her team forever.

Determined, JJ tells Garcia, "I'm going to visit him. Maybe I can convince him to tell the rest of the team. We could help at least with support."

JJ leaves a stunned Garcia alone her office and leaves work early making up an excuse about Henry. What no one knew was that Henry was with Will at the moment, it was his week with the baby. Every four weeks Will would have custody as agreed upon in court six months ago.

She arrives at Reid's house quickly nearly causing several accidents on the road. She is busy thinking rather than paying the proper attention to the road. JJ maneuvers amongst his uneven winding path in her high heels to knock on his door.

Several moments later the door cracks open, "JJ." he announces pained, his voice and face indicating that he is less than happy to see her.

The minute you open the door you know it was a mistake. The voices clamber in your head louder than ever, shouting all sorts of paranoid delusions. You are astonished to learn of the depths of her search for you and the fact that everyone was so concerned about your well-being. She tells you that she knows and gives you a sudden but strong and comforting hug.  
You learn that she is not only here to see if you are okay but also to convince you to tell the rest of them. You say that is the one thing you cannot do. You think they will be ashamed of you, that they will treat you differently, like you are fragile and ready to break.

You begin to argue, JJ's voice soft and compelling, your's hard and furious. You can barely hear her over what's going on in your head, a hellish symphony of noise cracking your skull from the inside out.

You scream in frustration, anger, or agony and lose control to them. You grab the nearest object, a crystal bowl in your entryway, and hurl it at her without further thought. A second later, your heart sinks with the rest of your body as you regain control, pushing them to the back of your mind. You ignore their voices – Betrayal, it was all a trick! She's responsible! Kill the vampires, get rid of them! Listen to us, you know we're right, come on…You stupid idiot! You didn't finish the job!– and rush to her, stammering apologies.


	3. Break

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: suicide attempt in this chapter.

JJ picks herself off the floor, refusing aid from Reid. She cannot meet his eyes and a red flush graces both their features. She hurriedly grabs the doorknob and flees the house, leaving the door open behind her as Reid stares dejectedly. She refuses to think about what just occurred, the Reid she knew could never do such a thing. She reaches her car, her hand outstretched when she pauses to look back at the house, something deep within her pleading for her to turn.

You feel like the complete and utter failure that you always knew you were when JJ rejects your help in getting off the floor. Her refusal hits you like a ton of bricks even though you know there is no reason for her to hang around. The voices play on your insecurities, revealing the flawed and broken man that you are. With the promise of JJ's help gone, you find that you lack the strength to push them back any longer. You realize in a last coherent thought that you should have insisted on an appointment today for new meds, tomorrow was too long to wait. You let your defenses fall as you succumb to them, knowing that they expose the ugly truth of reality.

JJ turns to face the house, as her face twists into a horrible image of pain and desperation and she screams "No, Spence!"

During the seconds it took her to escape from the house, Reid had raced up the steps and out of a window onto the roof. He balances precariously on the edge, his arms wind milling to keep his balance.

JJ is horrified. She has no idea that her actions could push him so far off the ledge of sanity. She did not know that she meant so much to him, that she held the balance of life and death for Spencer.

Her voice hoarse from her begging and imploring screams, she continues to try and convince him to get off the roof safely. She negotiates with him like the team would with a dangerous unsub. A part of her nearly laughs at the irony.

The neighbors stand outside their houses, mouths agape. It is the most perverse excitement most of them have ever seen. Someone has called 911. JJ can hear the sirens wailing in the distance.

JJ's cry echoes and reverberates throughout the neighborhood as Spencer holds his arms tightly behind his back and dives headfirst off the building onto the pavement.

JJ closes her eyes filled with despair as the emergency personnel arrive on the scene. The paramedics rush over to Spence carrying a backboard and their bags. JJ turns her back, shoulders hunched, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. She cannot bear to see them declare him dead.


	4. Fracture

Her tears blur her vision as the world seems to swim before her eyes. Her face remains deathly pale as a paramedic leaves the pack around Spencer and approaches her.

"Are you family?" he inquires softly. Even he can see how close she is to breaking.

"Yes." she lies smoothly and simply. She needs to know what happen. JJ shoves her hands into her pockets as they continue to tremble and shake.

"He was extremely lucky. In fact it is a miracle he survived."

"Survived?" she gasps.

"It seems he only has a concussion. He hasn't even lost consciousness. Can you tell me who that young man is and what happened please?"

JJ's knees become weak with relief as she responds, "His name is Spencer. Spencer Reid,"

She pauses before she continues, the words continually drying up in his throat. She finally manages to expel them, "It was a suicide attempt."

The paramedic immediately plasters a look of practiced insincere regret on his face.

JJ rushes on, unwillingly to hear his standard apology, "He dived headfirst," her voice cracks. "He's been diagnosed as bipolar," she continues knowing that he will need all medically pertinent information.

She rides with him to the hospital, her red-rimmed eyes watching Spencer lying there, sedated. She waits as they rush him to x-ray. She watches the clock in the waiting room slowly drag forward its hands. A doctor comes to see her updating her. She is surprised to find that Reid had listed her as his medical proxy.

Several hours later JJ finds herself exiting the hospital in a daze. Spence had been put on a seventy-two hour psychiatric hold and she was not permitted to see him unless cleared by his psychiatrist. She hated that she had to hide this from the team but knew that Spence would not want them to know.

JJ goes to work the next day in a semblance of normalcy. She had spent the entire night tossing and turning in bed unable to sleep properly. The events of the past day keep flashing in front of her eyes. She shakes herself out of her memories once more while standing in the elevator. She tells herself to get a grip on her emotions before entering the bullpen. She was the first there, after her last nightmare she had given up on sleep and decided to work instead.

While flipping through files and filling out paperwork she prepares an excuse for her haggard appearance. The usual Henry kept me up all night should work she convinced herself.

And sure enough it did. Hotch gave her a slight suspicious look but he did not pry further.

JJ's weary look had only increased by the third day. She falls asleep on her pile of paperwork, twitching with the nightmares that invade. She jerks awake at Hotch's knock, his concerned face peering over the threshold to her office.

"Sorry…" she apologizes, trying to wipe her face inconspicuously.

"Bad dream?" Hotch asks. He had seen the unpleasant shudders during JJ's nap.

JJ nods and glances away unable to meet Hotch's worried gaze.

"JJ, are you alright?" he inquires uneasy about JJ's behavior of late. At her lack of response, he sighs and continues, "The whole team is concerned. As your friends, we want to make sure that you are okay."

She lifts her face to meet his questioning stare, muttering, "Something's going on at home right now. It will be resolved soon."

She adds defensively, "I can still do my job."

"You know we are here for you? You can tell us anything." Hotch adds, sympathy lining his voice.

"Yeah, just this isn't my secret to tell." JJ tells him and turns back to her papers, effectively dismissing him.

She drives back to the hospital to find out they had already discharged him. Spencer's shrink only then informs her that he has agreed to move to a long term facility. JJ immediately dislikes this woman at first sight. First, Dr. Hirid is a shrink, second, she would not let JJ see him before, claiming that he was too psychotic and that her visit would do more harm than good. And third, she gives off an aura of a snob, one who does not truly care about her patients.

JJ gets the address of the long term facility and immediately plans to drive there tomorrow on Saturday. Dr. Hirid gave her permission to visit him after he has settled in otherwise JJ would have already been on her way.


	5. Splint

Upon her arrival, the attendant in the main room informs her that Spencer gave her power of attorney before he became sick. Due to some clerical error, the hospital staff did not inform her. JJ is surprised to hear that Spence trusted her that much. She would have guessed that her most of her team members would have chosen Hotch.

JJ is guided further inside to a room, where other patients sit with their families. Spencer enters the room escorted by two orderlies wearing the typical white uniform. She is shocked to see how unhealthy he looks: stick thin, his skin pasty white, and purple bruises under his eyes – all hints of a troubled mind.

JJ asks the orderlies if they can go outside in the garden and walk around a bit. Spencer looks like he could really use some fresh air. They nod and the party exits the building. She and Reid walk ahead, strolling slowly, Reid's muscles unused to much movement.

"So," she begins rather awkwardly, "how've you been? They treating you alright?"

Reid's hands jitter as he brings them up to forcibly shake his head, "They haven't stopped. The voices I mean."

JJ is filled with sympathy at sound of Spencer's weary voice. It is hoarse and ragged and full of despair.

"I only see my new psychiatrist every two weeks if I'm lucky…the rest of the team passes in a medicated daze." he continues, haltingly.

It takes him awhile to gather his thoughts and speak coherently. JJ can see how much he's suffering here, in this uncaring environment.

"Will you please let me tell the team?" she pleads.

You are sad and happy to see JJ again. Your emotions spiral up and down so you can never tell what you are really feeling anyway. Your head feels crowded and noisy, your meds still aren't working properly but no one listens to a bipolar. She talks and talks, and brings up a question that always makes you mad. So many thoughts rush in, your head feels like it's about to burst. You let yourself sink under the waves of the voices, losing control, ignoring reason in favor of peace from the constant battle.

As soon as she finishes speaking, she knew bringing up that topic was a mistake. Reid's eyes darken and she could see and feel his muscles tense beside her.

He grabs her roughly by the shoulders and shakes her, "No! I said no." he screams at her.

JJ fearfully begs him to stop, "Spence, please stop! You're hurting me."

But it has no affect on Reid, his mind has overcome his will. He is about to physically attack JJ when the orderlies grab him off JJ. JJ picks herself off the grass; she had fallen to the ground under the force of Reid's anger.

JJ watches silently filled with grief at the loss of the Spence she knows and loves. She is now determined to get him out of this place even if it means destroying their relationship by betraying his trust. She is going to tell Hotch.

Come Monday morning, she is standing outside Hotch's office, hand posed to knock while the hustle and bustle of the bullpen surrounds her. She inhales deeply and knocks twice, short and quick.

"Come in." Hotch's voice calls out.

JJ enters, shuts the door behind her, and takes a seat at Hotch's prompting. Her leg immediately starts to jiggle nervously, her body unable to pace back and forth.

Hotch eyes JJ carefully. Her slumped, tired appearance had only increased over the weekend. He slips easily into the habit of profiling, taking in her ever moving leg and bloodshot eyes. He knows she is here to tell him something, something that causes her great anxiety.

"JJ," he begins, looking at her seriously, "I know you are not alright and I'm glad you're here to talk to me about it. What's been on your mind lately?"

JJ sighs and rubs her face tiredly, she hopes that Spencer will forgive her and plunges in, "It's about Spencer."

Hotch turns even more serious if it were possible and stares intensely at JJ as if he were trying to read her mind.

After a pause, she continues, "He's been diagnosed bipolar."

JJ sees Hotch's perfectly composed face slip and reveal his shock. She tells him of the rest, how she found out with Garcia's help, his suicide attempt, and of where he's being kept now. At the end of her account, she feels waves of concern for their youngest team member flowing off him.

"I'll gather the team. Meet me in the conference room in ten, we have to tell them." Hotch tells her quickly, ushering her out his door.

She doesn't need to be a profiler to see that he needs a moment alone. She is glad that she withheld the fact that Spencer attacked her twice, he does not need to bear that burden as well.

Hotch enters the conference room, his serious face greeting several worried ones. He repeats what JJ just told him watching the looks of horror, disbelief, and sympathy cross their faces.

"This news does not leave the room, Strauss need not know yet. I'm sure you all want to help, but first we need to have Reid moved to a better facility. Rossi, can you get in touch with your contacts? Reid needs the best care possible."

Rossi nods, his face composed like Hotch's. He leaves the room pulling out his cell phone. Emily offers to pull some strings and get someone to investigate the care at Reid's facility. She is the next to leave the room, her emotionless mask firmly back in place. Meanwhile, Morgan has gotten up to pace the room furiously. His emotions cascade through the room.

"What can I do?" he asks Hotch eagerly, impatient to aid Reid.

Hotch asks him and Garcia to distract Strauss. They have to come up with a plan, an excuse for why the whole team has disappeared. Garcia exits the room after Morgan, wiping her face clear of tears. She never imagined that Reid's condition had despaired so badly.

JJ turns to Hotch, questioningly. "JJ, I need you to get some rest. This has been the hardest on you; you had to carry the burden alone for quite some time."

"But-"

He quells her protests and escorts her to her car, "Now get some sleep. I'll call you when Reid has been transferred. We'll all visit him together."


	6. Healed

Rossi speaks rapidly into his phone before reentering the room, his serious face greeting the team minus JJ, "We have a problem."

The team's attitude drops past rock bottom as Hotch dares to ask, "What?"

"He's been moved. The state took control as per advice of Dr. Hirid. Reid is now a ward of the state and they transferred him to a state facility 3 hours away."

"What do we know about this psychiatrist?" Hotch questioned Garcia.

"One moment, sir." she replies, her bright green nails rapidly clacking against the keyboard. "She has a spotless record on the surface. After a bit digging a bit deeper, I found numerous complaints of radical methodology and unprofessional conduct. It appears that she disregards her clients' wishes in favor of advancing her career."Morgan's fists clench tightly, his anger brimming to the surface at Reid's poor care. Rossi nods at this piece of information, it follows with what his contacts in the psychiatric profession have told him.

"Don't worry," Emily speaks up confidently, "I'll clear it with a couple people and we'll go get him now. Do we have a better facility selected?"

Rossi confirms that he has selected a state of the art center and that they are already awaiting Reid. They head for the cars. Morgan reaches for the door handle of one of the SUVs and is stopped by Hotch's hand on his shoulder.

"Morgan, Rossi and I will drive."

"But Hotch–"

"You need to get your emotions in check. Take the drive to calm yourself. We need to be collected when we arrived there for them to take our seriously."

Morgan sees the wisdom in Hotch's advice and moves out of the way.

They pick up JJ on the way, her face blanching at the news of Reid. Emily spends most of the trip talking rapidly on her phone in the car with JJ and Rossi. The team pulls up in front of the facility and stride in assertively, Hotch and Emily in the lead.

"May I help you?" the attendant at the intake desk inquires politely but puzzled.

"Yes," Hotch flips open his badge, "FBI. We are here to remove Dr. Spencer Reid from your care."

"I'm sorry," the attendant looks something up on her computer, "I'm afraid that's impossible. He's in state care and can only be release on Dr. Hirid's orders."

"Actually," Emily leans closer over the desk, "I'm Agent Prentiss. I believe you have orders from the facility's board of directors and the Director of Mental Health Services. We have been cleared to take Dr. Reid from your company."

The attendant shies away from Emily and Hotch's intimidating faces, "We don't have any record of that claim. Sorry I can't help you."

Hotch shoots an ice cold glare at the woman and she seems to freeze in place. Emily whips out her cell and speedily dials a number from memory. She speaks briefly into the phone and then hands it to the attendant who still has not moved an inch.

"Hello?...Yes Ma'am…Deeply sorry…Yes, yes I will." the attendant hangs up blushing strongly.

"Please go right on through, he's in room 114. He may be in the common area; you'll pass it on your way." the woman says and then presses a buzzer to unlock the doors.

Hotchner walks down the hall boldly, the team following along.

Morgan leans over to Emily and chuckles admirably, "That was impressive. You have this place wrapped around your fingers."

Emily smiles triumphantly back at him and comments, "It helps when you threaten to sue for malpractice while you have the backing of some very powerful people."

Morgan shivers and replies teasingly, "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

JJ tails the group at the end, lost in her thoughts. She still cannot believe that things turned out this bad, that Spence was stuck in a place like this. Garcia drops back next to her and wraps an arm around her comfortingly. They continue walking together in silence, Garcia's presence supporting JJ.

They pass a loud, crowded common area and then arrive at Reid's room and Hotch knocks briskly in the doorway before entering.

"Reid." he says gently calling his attention.

Reid is sitting on a chair staring blankly out of the barred window. It's a small, dismal room sparsely furnished with two beds, two dressers, and a chair. The walls are painted a solid white than has become smudged and dirty with time.

"Reid." Hotch repeats himself slightly louder. This time he gets a reaction.

He turns to face Hotch, his face emotionless and still, "Hello," Reid says hesitantly, his voice flat with a lack of affect.

There are a couple minutes of awkward silence while Reid digests the fact that the team is present. That they know.

You are surprised to hear Hotch's voice calling out to you. Your days are spent in drudgery, each day as similar as the next. You walk around in a drug induced fog but even that is not enough to block the voices. They still whisper to you, creeping in every thought. Your sole consolation is that JJ is the only one who knows your shameful dark secret. The rest of the team must never know.  
You find it harder to fight against the drugs so you let yourself sink away. Strong emotions have the lone capability to bubble to the surface. So when you hear Hotch and turn to see the whole team behind him you explode, yells bursting out of your throat.

"JJ! How could you?!" Reid stands and screams at the team, shaking violently before collapsing back into his chair.  
JJ's face turns even whiter than possible at Reid's exclamation. She approaches Reid slowly and cautiously remembering how physical Spencer could become.

"Spence," she begins softly and then continues to explain her reasoning. The team wanted to be there for him too.

He gradually calms down and says, "Sorry it's just so hard to think or do anything at all these days. Either they talk or the drugs won't let me think. Today is one of my good days."

The team stares with pity at Reid. He does not look well, his face gaunt, his body thin. Garcia is the first to break the silence bustling over to Reid and giving him a huge, bone crushing hug.

"Oh Reid, you should've told us." she scolds lightly. "Everyone pitched in to help you out. You should've seen Em and Hotch intimidate the staff here." Garcia smiles.

"Well, apparently my contacts and Hotch's glare make a good team." Emily joked.

"I was wondering how you were able to visit me. I'm not allowed to have visitors." Reid admits.

"Pack your stuff. We're here to break you out." Morgan grins and pats Reid on the back happily.

"I've arranged a better center for you, tailored to your needs." Rossi informs him as Reid breaks into his first smile in a long while.

As they leave together, the team a whole unit again. Another woman intercepts their path, shaking Emily's hand.

"Agent Prentiss, so good to hear from your friends again. No hard feelings I hope?"

Emily looks at her intensely before replying, "Of course not…if you follow the instructions I gave you. Otherwise expect to her from my friends and their lawyers again."

"Don't worry, an official inquiry into Dr. Hirid's professional abilities has already been launched."

Emily nods and leaves with the rest of the team. Reid's face lights up as the rays of sun hit him and he breathes in the fresh air.

"Jayje?" he whispers to her as they walk over to the parked black SUVs.

"Yeah Spence?" she responds, glad that Spencer is speaking to her.

"Thanks." he says simply and hugs her, showing his appreciation for all she has done with one word.

She smiles brilliantly back at him, her spirits lifting for the first time in seven long months.

Four months later…  
"Everyone ready?" JJ asks, hurrying around the bullpen making sure that everything looked perfect. Everyone had gathered to welcome Reid back. JJ and Garcia had been plotting the party for weeks and they had truly outdone themselves. Streamers, balloons everywhere and a huge chocolate cake baked by the ladies together.

"You do realize that we'll have to clean this all up later, baby girl?" Morgan questions Garcia.

She bustles by, her clothes' color scheme pink and orange today, shouting over her shoulder, "Nuh-uh…the guys are doing the clean-up, my chocolate prince." Garcia laughs.

Morgan groans audibly as Hotch and Rossi turn to each other, shaking their heads.

"It's good to see the team happy again." Rossi remarks.

Hotch's reply is interrupted by the dinging of the elevator as everyone runs over to welcome Reid back. Reid is smothered by hugs and cheers of joy. Garcia even has managed to rig sparkle bombs to the ceiling that spilled glitter everywhere.

Hotch desperately tries to brush it from his suit before he gives up. A smile breaks across his face too as he announces that Reid will be able to join the team again as a private analyst, more like a Garcia-type job without the title of agent.

A huge team hug then ensues, the younger agents managing to convince Hotch and Rossi to join.

You are finally happy and at peace. No more voices, the right meds were found. And now finally, you are among family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
